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Re: What is the tense?

They have future reference, but I'd say they were the present and past tense. This is a thorny area- I don't think English has a future tense at all; I think there are only two tenses in English, but others dispute this position.

Re: What is the tense?

Wow! Interesting! No future tense at all? Well, I have been taught since elementary that there is a future tense. Then as I entered college, I heard some people from the sate university that there is no future tense. I never took time in finding out why. So what makes you say that there is no future tense?

Re: What is the tense?

If I used the auxilliary "might", "may", or "must" instead of "will" or "shall", does it still fall in the category of future tense?

Ex.

I will go to the park tomorrow.
I might go to the park tomorrow.
I may go to the park tomorrow.
I must go to the park tomorrow.

Please help me.

Thanks!

1. Simple Future Tense
2,3,4 - might, may, must are modal verbs.
2...It is a present tense. You are considering going to the park but it can go either way...you might go or you might not.
3.pretty much the same idea...also a present tense.
3. must does not appear in a future form. Definitely a present tense about something you are planning to do tomorrow.

Re: What is the tense?

Originally Posted by vladz

Wow! Interesting! No future tense at all? Well, I have been taught since elementary that there is a future tense. Then as I entered college, I heard some people from the sate university that there is no future tense. I never took time in finding out why. So what makes you say that there is no future tense?

I would stick to the textbooks you have in front of you and go with the Simple Future Tense, Future Continious and what have you. That's what I was taught as well and I wouldn't like to dissect too much into it.